


Holidays Can Have a Lot To Deal With

by Ononymous



Series: Christmas 2019 Stories and Requests [1]
Category: Deltarune (Video Game), Undertale (Video Game)
Genre: Christmas, Gen, Post-Deltarune Chapter One
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2019-12-25
Updated: 2019-12-25
Packaged: 2021-02-26 04:34:44
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 4,766
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/21957475
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Ononymous/pseuds/Ononymous
Summary: Everyone has their little rituals and routines at this time of year. They're comforting. But when problems arise, being deprived of those routines can be almost as troublesome as the problems themselves. It requires unusual plans to deal with these problems, and reaching out to someone you might not even know. Just watch out for what's in his hand, Noelle.
Series: Christmas 2019 Stories and Requests [1]
Series URL: https://archiveofourown.org/series/1580731
Comments: 4
Kudos: 19





	Holidays Can Have a Lot To Deal With

The reception hall, usually an indifferent and sterile white, felt unusually jubilant. It was appropriate, given the time of year. Rainbow lights blinking between clashing ideas of primary colour theory, threadbare tinsel failing to cover the dispassionate wall paint, and a head almost entirely comprised of huge sharp teeth flanked by two small trees, one with a star and one with an angel. One may have thought this enameled entity a danger to those around them, but the truth of the matter was they were too busy checking their social media to be a danger to anyone. Indeed the only other person in the room, much more timid than her festive jumper suggested, paid the receptionist little heed. This was less about familiarity with them, and more that she was otherwise distracted. The receptionist eventually noticed.

"Name?"

"Oh, Holiday. Um, I mean Noelle."

Unseen digits clacked at the keyboard. "No appointments for a Noelle Holiday today, are you experiencing an emergency?"

"Oh, no. Um, my Dad's in the hospital."

More unseen typing. "Mister R. Holiday is in Ward A-1 West."

The girl's ears swivelled, betraying impatience. "I know that, I've just been visiting him, but I was hoping I could speak to his doctor?"

The typing halted, bringing absolute silence. "All patients' medical status can only be divulged to guardians, wards of state or next of kin. Has Mister Holiday designated you any of these?"

Heavily nailed hands tapped one of her antlers. "No, Mom would be who he usually assigns, but I just wanted-"

"Then it would be unprofessional for me to tell you who his doctor is." The receptionist re-posted a hastily typed opinion by one of their second cousins.

The deer stood up, compelled by a mixture of anxiety and frustration. "I just wanted to ask him something. I know who he is anyway, it's-"

"Doctor Drake."

The receptionist had nodded respectfully at the third person to enter the area. Thick glasses perched delicately atop a pale yellow beak, magnifying grey eyes set atop a dishevelled plumage whose colour may have bleached in the sun, leaving a grey similar to the eyes. Two clusters of feathers inexplicably grappled a clipboard as a stethoscope hung from the large bird's neck. One wing flipped up briefly at the receptionist, an automated response to their greeting. The Deer felt a slight chill as he passed, but she paid it no heed as she followed him out onto the icy street.

"Um, excuse me Doctor Drake?"

Some may have slipped on the ice at having their concentration broken, but for the Doctor this was natural weather for him, so he merely stopped and turned in her direction. "Noelle," he responded. "Your father's in good spirits today, no reason not to have visitors."

"I know," she said, "but I wanted to ask you something."

"Hmm." It conveyed a lot, but he chose to elaborate regardless. "Medical privacy law says your mother should be getting the latest. And I've been talking to her."

Noelle gripped her red and green sleeve tightly. "I know you have, and normally I'd have asked her this morning, but she got a call and had to dash off. You... you know how she gets sometimes."

The grey eyes gave no sign he knew how Mrs Holiday got, but that bore little relevance. He already knew where this conversation was headed, and it was better to get it over with. "Yeah, Mayors and all that. Alright then, ask away."

Two large incisors came into view as she smiled. "W-well, thank you Doctor. I won't beat around the bush. Tomorrow is Christmas Day. I know Dad's been doing pretty well, all things considered. Do... do you think he could be discharged, just for the day? I'd keep a close eye on him and everything. Just something to raise his spirits, you know?"

Doctor Drake's posture was as rigid as it always was, but his wings settled slightly, like his shoulders had slumped in spite of themselves. Noelle didn't miss it. She knew what that meant his answer was. And he knew that she knew it. Noelle hadn't beat around the bush, so the Doctor returned the favour.

"No," he said, perhaps more blunt than necessary. "We got his latest test results back last night, as your mother knows. You're not wrong that he's remarkably stable right now, but it's a highwire act, and the wrong puff of wind can push him off. We can't afford to let up on his medical supervision for at least a week. If something went wrong it would go wrong faster than an ambulance."

"...oh..." It was a stoic response, but it told volumes.

"Sorry you had to find out this way," he continued, "but medicine loves its little wild cards like this. Better this'n it being because we gave him the wrong medication."

Noelle continued to stand still, her blond hair whipped this way and that by the icy winds, her own posture signalling her deference to his inherent authority. Deference to inherent authority was one of her most stalwart traits. And yet... what if she-

"And before you get any ideas about aiding and abetting his chronic truancy," he said, "I've asked Officer Undyne to keep an eye on him.

Oh. Never mind. "It really is serious right now, huh?"

"...it always was. Look, he's not under arrest no matter how much Undyne will say otherwise. We're open tomorrow. If you want to spend time with him, there's nothing stopping you."

"It's just not the same, and it's not about me, it's about him being cooped up on one of his favourite days. Again," Noelle wanted to say. Alas, her deference held her tongue. The Doctor picked up on it regardless.

"Your dad's rolled some funny dice in this whole shindig. Snake eyes in some places, lucky seven in others. Nobody can win them all, but he's played his hand smart. Except when he tries to second deal us and sneak out. I just don't want him to bet it all on red when it comes up black your family will have to pay. Hell of a time of year for the house to win back everything."

Noelle's hair seemed rooted to her shoulders in defeat. "Of course, Doctor. Thank you so much for telling me the truth. Obviously we miss him at home, but you're right. It's too important."

"There's a good girl," he said, without enthusiasm. "And with a few lucky hands he might be able to cash out in the spring. Stay determined."

A police car briefly made itself heard above the wind, and Doctor Drake looked past Noelle to where it was. His talons expertly gripped the ice as he shuffled past her. Noelle watched firey red hair tossed about much like her own, as its owner confidently discussed her ward's status with the Doctor, all with confidence Noelle had no idea if she could ever match. Not wanting to risk a night in the cells over standing the wrong way, Noelle rounded the corner on her way to her house. Or maybe QC's for a pick-me-up. She was so lost in her thoughts a collision was only avoided with a loud hail from right in front of her.

"Noelle! Howdy!"

She squeaked as her train of thought was derailed. A wall of pink stood before her, framing a glass dome of roses held by white and gold-specked arms. She looked up at the almost regal face of the person holding the roses. The horns curled gently in her direction bore no threat, no matter how much her instincts protested, as his gentle befanged smile won over all doubt.

"Oh, hello Mister Dreemurr."

"Nasty winds," said Asgore. He put his free hand on her shoulder, and the thick fur seemed to lessen that very wind's impact. His stature meant he often didn't bothered about excessive winter attire, even while making sure his children very much bothered. "So, how is he today?"

"Oh, he's fine," she said automatically, "and as long as he doesn't do anything crazy he should stay that way. He should be fine for visitors, as long as Officer Undyne lets you."

"Yes, well, that was always the hard part," he chuckled. "Not to worry, Noelle, I'm sure things will be fine." He'd been sure for more than a year or so now. "Just stay determined."

"Oh you know me, I never give up!"

He shot one final grin, before resuming his own pilgrimage to his friend's ward. Noelle glanced at his ears flapping horizontally in the wind.

"...even when I should..."

* * *

QC's offered every bit of physical respite Noelle needed, as she watched the wind replaced by a snow flurry through windows smudged through years of abuse. What it lacked however was any emotional support. Berdly and Jockington were there, but none of them seemed to notice the other. Kris and Susie were definitely not there, which seemed to happen more often recently, them slipping off to who-knows-where to do who-knows-what. Most of the other patrons were either adults or children, and while most knew the mayor's daughter, that status made initiating a conversation awkward.

Noelle finished her drink and dropped a few coins on the table as tip. This itself was unusual, she rarely relied on her parents' tab at QC's, having always taken responsibility for expenses from the moment she began receiving an allowance. That act turned out to be a trigger, for before she could leave, something against her leg vibrated. She sighed as she fished it out, looking at a text message on her phone.

_Noelle, could you please pick up these things from the shops before they close for Christmas? I'm stuck in another meeting. See you this evening! **3:-)**_

Noelle's mother then had the half dozen items laid out. Ever dutiful, Noelle took a moment to reinforce her scarf, then once more stepped out into the cold. The wind's retreat left the act of walking on the street more tolerable than it had been a minute ago, and to be honest an excuse not to return to her empty house just yet was welcome. But her choices of where to loiter were still limited by the sun's brief appearance already drawing to a close, and many shops had already closed up. Official opening plans stood little chance against the energy only seen on Christmas Eve. So she settled on the general shop she'd spent little time in, with a sign that was less handmade and more vandalised from a previous moniker.

The atmosphere of being an entirely different business continued as she shook some snow out of her antlers. The shelves looked solid and well stocked, albeit with its own ketchup section, but the tables and chairs stacked up against one wall made it feel like a dance hall or restaurant. The counter looked like a drinks bar. And there was a funny sawing noise she couldn't recognise at first. But then she realised it was snoring. It was coming from a skull resting atop the counter, a relaxed grin accompanying its owner's slumber.

"Um, excuse me?"

"zzz- mm?"

The snoring stopped. The skull didn't change at all, save maybe an inexplicable light in the eye sockets. Noelle saw it lay atop a blue hoodie as equally bony hands pushed the skeleton upright.

"Oh, I'm sorry!" Her ears flattened against her head. "Are you closed?"

"thought about closin' early," said the skeleton, "but that was too much effort. _deer_ -y me, guess that means it's your lucky day."

Noelle chuckled politely, and began consulting her mother's list. "Do you have fancy table napkins, Sir?"

"woah woah woah, is this joint called ' _sir's_ '? call me sans."

"Oh, I'm sorry," she repeated. "But, um, do you have them, Sans?"

"on one of those tables by the window, missy."

And so they were. The top table looked like someone from QC's had set it, as a demonstration of how to set a table for the holidays. But come to think of it, it didn't look particularly festive. Just like a regular diner table. But she didn't have many options, and several items got ticked off the list as she reached across the table. Napkins, spare table cloth, condiments- oh wait, that ketchup bottle was empty. So she picked up a new bottle from the half dozen shelves dedicated to it. The vegetable racks were particularly well stocked. Overstocked even, like they weren't touched very often, but it all looked fresh, so she was able to pick up everything her mother asked for. Almost everything.

"Do you have any salt lick, Sans?"

"nope. fresh out."

"Oh. Okay..."

"but my store's got some." Noelle felt winked at. "up here on the counter."

"Oh! Hee hee!" The joke was a lot funnier to her than she may have thought at any other time. She brought her table supplies up to the counter, and added two salt licks to the bundle.

"that everythin'?"

"Yes- No, wait, let me check."

"sure thing. glad to be of _cerv_ ice."

Noelle hadn't needed to check, but she never let her assumptions go unverified. Conscientiousness wasn't her only motive however. This odd masquerade of a store truly had her attention. The less one looked, the more normal it appeared, but closer inspection revealed all sorts of curious stocking decisions. Just as overstocked as the ketchup or vegetables was a world class pasta section. And a small section ostensibly for toys had little but practical joke gadgets. And yet there was also all the regular things you expected general shops like this to have. All the pieces added up to a normal shop, but there were maybe half again as many pieces as there should be. An advantage to this included magazines on every topic and also knitting, and for a time her black nose was buried in a strategy guide for _Super Smashing Fighters_.

"hey," came a stern voice, "you gonna pay for that, kid?"

"Oh, y-yeah, I just wanted to..."

"aight." The snoring started up again. Aware that she was indeed dragging her hooves now, she took the guide, a few chocolate bars and a joy buzzer and brought it up to the counter along with what her mother wanted. She wasn't sure if Sans had actually been asleep, for as soon as she put them down he examined them carefully.

"quite the eclectic collection of last minute junk ya got there," he mused. "you aimin' to be a _buzz_ kill? or does your mom have specific tastes?"

"N-nothing like that," she yelped, a dull heat building in her furry cheeks, "I just... I thought my dad might like it."

"izzat so?" He sounded more interested than he'd been the entire time. "sounds like your dad is pretty cool. so does he make the dinner tomorrow or does he give the next generation a chance to screw it up?"

"Neither," she said, "he'll eat whatever the hospital serves tomorrow, I suppose."

"oh..." Sans' grin remained unchanged out of sympathy. "is it serious?"

"Yeah. No. Maybe? I don't know."

"hey hey, why the long fromt teeth?"

"I just..." What Noelle just, she couldn't put to words. Instead she handed money over.

"well i guess 'tis the season for hospitality, your pop might as well avail of it, right?"

"..." Taking a reusable bag from her pocket, Noelle started packing away her purchases.

"this might sound tired given the weather, but i suddenly feel like i'm treadin' on thin ice, kid. c'mon, we all need a laugh."

" **It's not something you-** " Noelle caught herself as she saw Sans' chair pushed back a little.

"bit unfair to ban me from everything by not finishing yer sentence like that, kid. better to know the ice you're on than skate into the ocean, is all i figured. you wanna go blind, be my guest. no extra charge."

She resolutely packed three or four more items into her bag, trying to avail of the free privacy. But she slowed. And then stopped. The dam had cracked.

"Every year," she began, cube of salt in hand, "Dad would wake me up by tickling me with his nose. Well I say his nose, he wore a novelty red one. But that was the signal, you know? 'Come down to the living room, see what's there!' Then we'd unwrap presents - Dad always has a knack for making them look really special - and play with them until the Dreemurrs or the Drakes or whoever came round to have Christmas dinner with the Mayor. Last time it happened, he helped me get to level five of Pokuman, and that was supposed to be impossible. And he'd make corny jokes about all these human fighting styles and I'd say 'Har har har', but... they were actually kinda funny, no matter how much I cringed."

"heh, sounds like his antlers are screwed on straight."

"And last year," she continued, "after he first became ill... I still got presents. They were just in gift bags. Well Mom isn't a craftperson like Dad is, there's nothing wrong with that. And we spent most of the day with him in the hospital, so it's not like I can say I miss him, but..."

"yes. no. maybe. you dunno. you're the legendary fartmaster."

"Well yeah," her pulse was quickening, "it feels like there's no end in sight, that we avoid trouble by the skin of our teeth, but just when it looks like he may be finally out of the woods it's like his body says 'No, I'm gonna insist on doing this instead', and I dread that one day his body will just... just tell me if I can ever have a Christmas like that again or not, I can't bare all this back and forth...!"

Her words failed, hands clenched and trembling as she looked back and forth, looking for a sign. Sans' gaze was steady, watching her desperately trying to stuff her fatigue back into her perfect grades and valedictorian achievements, to little avail. Eventually she unclenched her hands, clumps of salt falling away from the crushed lick.

"...you need a vacation, kid."

"Not before I get accepted to college," she recited, "and besides, with Dad... I just miss how things were. And I know they might go back that way but... I don't think they ever will. And I'm not ready for that. I wasn't."

Her hair chose that moment to fall over her face, trying to conceal her exposed soul. Why this skeleton she didn't know, of all people? Her Mother, Miss Alphys, Mister Asgore, even Kris or Susie felt like better confidants for her worries. But they weren't available. Only this erstwhile stranger was there to listen. The somber air chose this moment to be rent by a _pbbbbbbbbbbbbbbbbbbbbbbbbbbbbbbbbbbbbbbbbbbbbbbbbbbbbbbbbbbbbbbbbbbbbbbbbbbbbbbbbbbbbbbbbt._

"Wh-what?!" She started laughing in spite of her self.

Sans fidgeted, pulling up a whoopee cushion he'd just sat on. "sorry, the mood was getting a little morbid. nothin' breaks the ice quite like breakin' the wind."

She continued to chuckle, but it soon faded. "Well thanks I guess, Mister Sans."

"woah woah, mister sans is my dad. or was is mister dings? i dunno. anyway, it's just sans. an' there's a spare lick for the one you therapy'd to death."

"Okay then, Just Sans." She felt his wink. "Thanks for listening to my woes. It's hard at times."

"sure it is. an' i know how you feel kid. my holidays changed abruptly one year too."

"Really?" Decorum forbade her to pry. "I'm sorry to hear that Sans."

"'salright. can't remember how they were before anyway."

"Before what?"

"long story. just Don't Forget your holidays, 'kay? they'll sustain you much more than you'd think. i keep telling my bro that."

"Oh, you have a brother?"

"yeah, you'll have to meet him. maybe later though, i'm goin' to grillby's later."

"'Grillby's'? Where's that?"

"never mind, already there. have a good day tomorrow, miss."

"...I'll try. Thanks for the sympathy."

Noelle braved the heavy snows once again, leaving Sans alone in his store. He strummed his mandible for a while, processing what he'd just witnessed, then took out his phone and jabbed in an unusually long number. He heard it ring a slightly eldritch tone, then it picked up.

"'sup?" said the voice on the other end.

"heya, HD," said Sans, "need a favour..."

* * *

The Holidays were absent from the evening carol service for the second year running. Everyone in attendance understood, but it still felt things just weren't the same. First Noelle was missing, and then Asriel Dreemurr hadn't time to rehearse with all his university studies. The inexorable march of time bothered Noelle not one jot of course. After about twenty eight words exchanged with her Mother who had finally gotten home around eleven, they'd both gone to bed.

Noelle had a consistent throughline in her dreams. She was sitting at a desk writing, and people would come in and tell her something important. What she was being told grew progressively worse. For her, for her family, for the town, for the world, but she forgot it as soon as she was told, returning to her work. She continued with her studies, ignoring the part of her brain that was screaming. At long last the monotony was broken by a funny tickling around her belly.

"Dad?"

She was lying in her bed, curled up in a ball. She was entirely alone. Her belly still ticked, and after untangling herself from her blankets she realised it was her phone. Another text message.

_Got a call at 5asm this morning from Mayor of Hedret, seemeed to be a mix up about who was having Christmas Dinner with who. Thi sis important for helping financing the new road between oru townsd, so I had to set out early. Saw your Dad, hes doing okay. Will be back as soon as I can. Lov, Mom._

Not even properly spelt, she was in that much of a hurry. Noelle wasn't even particularly upset about the prospect of being alone. It was like she'd spent weeks bracing for it. Still, not even a rogue Kris to try and scare her under her bed meant any chance of the day feeling special gurgled noisily down the drain. With a sigh she put on some slippers and clopped gruffly down the stairs. There was the tree, swarmed by presents that were at least home-wrapped this year, albeit without the finesse Rudy may have done, and the tree decorated just a bit too cleanly. What to do? There was no idea of when Mom would be back, so maybe she should unwrap-

"Noelle, sweetheart?"

She spun round, and squealed in shock. Up against the wall, beneath a picture of her Mother and all her mayoral staff, lay a hospital bed, the very same hospital bed Rudy would lay in, and he was indeed laying in it. His name and medical charts were attached to the wall as well.

"D-Daddy!" she squeaked. "What are you doing here?!"

"What I've been doing for months, being sick! Har har har! But how'd you move the tree?"

"Move the tree..." The words had no meaning. "How'd you get your bed up to the house?"

"The house? Naw, you've moved the tree and presents and the TV into my ward, haven't you?"

"You mean... you're still in the hospital?"

"Well I can see Undyne outside my door, so I guess so. What's..."

To underline the strangeness of the event, a nurse suddenly appeared in front of Noelle as if she'd always been there. Unperturbed by now apparently being the Mayor's house, she examined Rudy's chart and took his pulse.

"Um, excuse me..." said Noelle. No response. Then the nurse filled out her readings, walked towards Noelle and promptly vanished again. Bewildered by this, Noelle approached Rudy and gently reached out towards his cheek. She could feel its fuzz as if she were actually there.

"Hey, that tickles!"

"What's going on?" she asked, to the universe more than Rudy, "it's like we're both at home and at the hospital, and nobody else can see?"

"Yeah, it's strange," said Rudy, sitting upright in bed. "But I think I know what we should do about this."

"Oh, good. What?"

"Pass me that present from your mother, I wanna open it!"

"Wh-what?"

"C'mon sweetie, it's been ages. Might as well open presents together!"

...yes. Might as well. When had she started smiling? It hurt, but in a great way. "Okay Dad! Here you go."

Proving his physical existence, Rudy accepted the present from her and tore the purple paper apart, revealing an impressive gold watch.

"I'm gonna make all the nurses jealous," he chuckled. "Oh, I think that Green one is what I told her to get for you..."

Four pairs of earrings, a new blouse, a novelty hat, five books, a toolkit, three videogames and more candy than wise later, Noelle sat besides her father, having dragged an armchair over from by the fire instead trying to sit on a hospital chair that may suddenly cease existing. They hadn't spoken for a while, just soaking in the atmosphere of each other's company in a way they hadn't gotten to for a long time.

"This feels..." She scratched an antler. "This feels..."

"Kinda like the old days?"

"...not really," she admitted. "We never unwrapped presents in bed before. But it's been great all the same."

"It has," he agreed, "shame it's unlikely we'll get to do it next year though..."

Noelle frowned. "Oh Dad, don't talk like that-"

"'cause I'll be on vacation next year! Har har har!"

"Oh Daddy," she giggled. Perhaps with just too much exuberance.

"Hey Noelle." He pointed at the tree. "Is that one for your Mother?"

"Hmm? I don't think so..."

She walked over to the tree and picked up a present intricately wrapped in pure black paper. A card was attached to it, with no name. Showing it to Rudy, she opened it up. It wasn't even a Christmas Card, just one with a lame knock knock joke. But there was some writing inside.

_to a loyal customer, and hopefully a future customer,_

_hope you guys have enjoyed this shortcut. don't try an' figure out how it works, it'll just give you headaches. if you're that curious 'i know a guy who knows a guy' is how it works. figured strangely good laughs are better than straightforward bad times. Don't Forget that things ain't always certain or pre-ordained._

_glad i got **tibia** good neighbour,_

_sans_

_p.s. hope the present helps **frame** your relationship._

"Is that the skeleton who runs that new shop?" asked Rudy. "Doesn't seem to take anything seriously. I like him already!"

Noelle took the black present and unwrapped it. At first they thought it was a photograph, but its contents meant it must have been a painting. It was a family portrait of Noelle and her parents, but they were much older with silver hair. Noelle looked much like she did now, maybe with taller antlers and fuller hair, wearing a white business suit and smiling confidently without any sign of her present timidness. Mister Asgore stood to one side of them in the painting as well, although for some reason he wasn't as old as Rudy, having only streaks of silver in his blond beard, and wearing a fancy purple cloak that suited him.

"Well that's something to aspire to," Rudy said reverently, "helping your mother through the menopause..."

Noelle couldn't stop herself from laughing, and propped the realistic painting on Rudy's bedside cabinet.

"It's something to aim for, Daddy," she said. "Even if we don't make it, there's something valuable in trying."

"Now dear," he warned, "if you get that aspirational in your actual old age you're out of my will. Can't take life all that seriously."

"Sorry Dad. But I know how to make it up to you."

"An' how's that?"

She tossed him a controller. "Super Smashing Fighters, best of five."

He examined the controller carefully, making sure it was solid in his hands. "Dibs on Space Bounty!"

"Oh, you always pick her!"

"Do not, haven't picked her for over a year!"

Father and Daughter burst out laughing once more. Far away from the Holiday House, and less so far away from the Hospital. Sans was not musing on his good deed. He wasn't wondering whether it had been a good idea. He wasn't even thinking more about selfish desires or getting ready for Christmas with his totally cool bro. He was asleep.

**Author's Note:**

> Let me know what you think, and thanks for reading!


End file.
